Pressure-generator.



No. 706,154. Patented Aug- 5, Iso-'2.

G. E. BLAKE. PRESSURE GENERATOR.

(Application filed Mur. 3l. 1902.)

No. 706,154. Patented Aug. 5, |902.

G. E. BLAKE.

PRESSURE GENERATOR.

(Application lecl Mar. 31, 1902.1

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. y

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UNTTED STATES PATENT FFICE.

GEORGE EDl/VARD BLAKE, OF GREENCASTLE, INDIANA.

PRESSURiE-GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 706,154, dated August5, 1902.

Application filed March 3l, 1902. Serial No. 100,840. (No model.)

To n/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE EDWARD BLAKE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greencastle, in the county of Putnam and State of Indiana,have invented a new and useful Pressure-Generator, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for generatingand storing power in the form of iiuids under high pressure; and has forits principal object to construct a device of this character in whichthe action will be wholly automatic and in which a constant supply offluid Aunder pressure may be maintained for motive power or otherpurposes.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novelconstruct-ion and combination of parts hereinafter described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of apressure-generator constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 isa similar View illustrating` the parts in a different position. Fig. 3is a View similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a modied structure.

Referring to the drawings, 5, 6, and 7 represent three cylindersarranged in tandem, all of substantially the same length, but thecentral cylinder '7 being preferably somewhat less in diameter than theremaining cylinders. In the cylinder 5 is a centrally-disposed tube 9,one end of which passes through the partition or cylinder-head whichdivides the cylinders 5 and 7 the opposite end of said tube being openand situatedat a point near the opposite end of the cylinder, so as toplace the central cylinder at all times in free communication with theouter end of the cylinder 5. In similar manner a tube 10 is arranged inthe cylinder 6 and connects the opposite end of the central cylinder tothe outer end of said cylinder 6. In the central cylinder 7 is a piston11, carried by a piston-rod 12, which extends through both of the tubes9 and 10 and is connected at its opposite ends by yokes 13 to a piston14 in the cylinder 5 and a piston 15 in the cylinder 6, the constructionbeing such that all three of the pistons must move simultaneously in thesame direction. i

On the tube 9 is a snugly-fitting sleeve 17, free to slide on said tubeand fitting within a centrally-disposed opening in the piston 14. On theperiphery of the sleeve 17 are formed passages 18, which when saidsleeve is in the position illustrated in Fig.`1 places the ends of thecylinder on opposite sides of the piston in free communication with eachother. At the inner end of the sleeve is an enlarged annular fiange 19,which is seated against the inner face of the piston when the latter ismoved to the position shown in Fig. 2, each end of the sleeve beingprovided with projecting pins 20, which make contact with thecylinder-heads in advance of the stopping of the piston. The outer headsof both of the cylinders 5 and 6 are enlarged to form recesses or slots21 for the reception of the yokes 13, thus avoiding the formation ot' aplurality of openings in the cylinder-heads for the reception of thepiston-rodand its connections.

On the tube l0 within the cylinder 6 is mounted a grooved sleeve 22 ofprecisely the same construction as the sleeve 17 and operated in asimilar manner.

At the adjacent ends of the cylinders 5 and 6 are arranged inlet-pipes24 and 25, respectively, to supply the cylinders with an eX- plosivemixture, preferably in the form of carbureted air mixed with Water orsteam and air, the Water serving in a measure to lower the temperatureof the cylinders, but being converted into steam at or before the timeof explosion. In the pipe 24 is aported valve 26, which may take theform of the slide-valve, as illustrated in the drawings, and in the pipe25 is arranged a similar valve 27. The valve 26 is connected bya rod 28to arms 29, extending through suitable stuffingboxes in the interior ofthe cylinder 5, said arms being arranged at opposite ends of thecylinder and adapted for contact with the opposite faces of the pistonas the latter nears the limit of its movement in either direction. Thus,for instance, on the outstroke, immediately before the piston hasreached the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the outer face of the pistoncomes into contact with one of the arms 29 and moves the valve to closedposition, cutting off the supply of explosive coinpound, and in theopposite position, or that indicated in Fig. 2, the valve is opened asthe piston nears the limit of its instroke. The valve 27 is connectedbya rod 30 to arms 31, which extend through stuffing-boxes in the endsof the cylinder ii and are operated upon by the piston 15.

At the outer end of the cylinder is an escape-pipe 32, having a portedvalve 33, connected to arms 34, which extend through stuiiing-boxes atthe opposite ends of the cylinder 5 `and are operated upon by the pistonto elect the opening and closing of the said valve. In similar mannerthe cylinder 6 is provided with an escape-pipe 35, having a valve 36,connected to arms 37, extending the pistons reach the limit of outwardmovement. f y

ln the operation of the device, the parts being in the position shown inFig. 1,`an explosion has occurred in the cylinder 5 and the exploded gasunder high pressure is liowing through the ports or passages 18 in thesleeve 17 to the outer side of the piston and thence through the tube 9and acting upon the vpiston 11 to force the latter from the positionshown in Fig. 1 to that illustrawl in Fig. 2. The valve 27 ofthe'cylinder 6 is open and the explosive mixture is entering through thepipe 25 under sufficient pressure to assist in the movement of thepiston 15 tothe position s hown in Fig. 2, it being understood that allthree of the pistons are rigidly connected and must move together. Theouter end ofthe cylinder 6 and the righthand end of the central cylinder7 are filled with exploded gas resulting from a previous explosion inthe cylinder 6, and this gas is flowing through the outlet-pipe 35 to anengine or other point, where its pressure is to be utilized. As thethree pistons approach the position shown in Fig. 2 the piston 15 closesthe outlet-valve 36 and opens communication between the two sides Lofthe piston by bringing the end of its sleeve 22 into contact with theend Wall of the cylinder. Immediately previous to this operation thevalve 27 in the inlet-pipe has been closed and an explosion takes placeimmediately afterv the piston passes the sparking terminals 40. As thepiston 14 travels from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown inFig. 2 its sleeve 17 will remain in the position shown in Fig. 1,permitting the free passage of exploded gas y the bars or yokes 13.

from one side of the piston to the other. As the limit of movement isreached the valve 26 of the inlet-pipe 24 is open to admit a freshsupply and the pins 2O of sleeve 17 have made contact with the innerwall of the cylinder 5, moving said sleeve tov the position shown inFig. 2 and cutting off communication between the opposite sides of thepiston. The outlet-pipe 32 is then opened and the exploded gases fromthe outer end of cylinder `5.and the left-hand end of cylinder 7 areallowed to escape to the point of consumption. The sleeves 17 and 22 arecomparatively loose on their supporting-pipes, so as to slide freelythereon, while there is sufficient frictional contact between theperipheries of the sleeve and the o-penings in the central portions ofthe pistons to compel the movement of the sleeves with said pistons.

The device may be employed for the production of fluid under pressure tobe used as a lnotive power for an engine of any desired construction, orthe piston-rod 12 is connected directly to a crank or other machineelement to be operated. 1

In the moditied construction illustrated in Fig. 3 the cylinders 5/, 6',and 7 are shown as separated, although they maybe arranged closelytogether, as in Fig. 1. The connecting or piston rod 12 is dispensedwith in the modied construction, and the tubes 9 and 10 are secureddirectly to the three pistons 11', 14,', and 15', thus avoiding thenecessity of forming the chambers for the reception of Theconnecting-tubes are open at the outer ends of the cylinders 5 aud 6',and at points near the piston 11 each tube is provided with one or moreopenings 40 for the passage of gas to and from the cylinder 7. In thisconstruction the inlet and escape ports maybe of the same character asthat shown and described, and similar numerals of reference have beenapplied to corresponding parts of the structure. As the ends of thetubes are rigidly secured to the pistons provision is made for thepassage of the gases through the two pistons 14 and 15 by providing aport or passage 41, which may be closed by a valve 42, having a suit-IOO IIO

able stem adapted to guideways 43, the action being precisely the sameas that of the piston-valves shown in Figs.- 1 and 2.

Owing to the fact that the fresh charge is always kept from minglingwith the exploded charge, much better results are obtained than ispossible lWhere a quantity of the exploded charge remains in thechamber, and the arrangement of cylinders is such as to store a constantsupply of gas under pressure which may be utilized for the propulsion ofany ordinary form of engine.

While the construction herein described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings is the preferred form of the device, it is obviousthat various changes in the form, proportions7 size, and minor detailsof the structure may be made Without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- I. In a device ofthe class speeiiied, the combination with a plurality of aliningcylinders, of a piston disposed in each cylinder, a piston-rod connectedto all of the pistons, the central cylinder being in constantcommunication With the outer ends of the outer cylinders, valvedopenings arranged in the pistons of the outer cylinders, valved inletand outlet pipes connected to opposite ends of the outer cylinder, andmeans for operating said valves.

2. In a device of the class specified, the combination of the endcylinders, a central cylinder in constant communication with the out-erends of said end cylinders, valved pistous arranged in the endcylinders, a piston disposed in the central cylinder, a piston-rodconnecting all three of the pistons for simultaneous movement, inlet andoutlet pipes connected to the end cylinders, controlling-valves in saidpipes, and means for operating said Valves.

3. In a device ot the class specified, the combination of the endcylinders having valved pistons, a centrally-disposed cylinder of adiameter less than that of the end cylinders, a piston arranged in thecentral cylinder, a piston-rod connecting all of the pistons forsimultaneous movement, connectingtubes extending through the end pistonsand serving to keep the central cylinder in constant communication Withthe ends of the end cylinder, and piston-operated valves for governingthe supply of explosive mixture to said end cylinders and the escape ofexploded gases from all of the cylinders.

et. In a device of the class specified, the

combination of the three alining cylinders, of Which thecentrally-disposed cylinder is of less diameter than the end cylinders,a piston in said central cylinder, tubes extending from the ends of thecentral cylinder to the end portions of the end cylinders, slidingsleeves loosely mounted on said tubes and having ports or passages forcontrolling the flow of gas from one end of the cylinder to the other,pistons mounted on said sleeves, a piston-rod extending from the centralpiston through both of the tubes, yokes connecting the ends of thepiston-rods to the endpistons, cylinder-heads having slots for thereception of the yokes,in1et-pipes for the admission of an explosivemixture to the end cylinders, outletpipes for the escape of gas underpressure from all of the cylinders, valves in all of said pipes, andarms connected to said valves, and extending through the end Walls ofthe cylinders into the path of movement of the end pistons.

5. In a device of the class specified, the combination with the threealining cylinders, of pistons in said cylinders, means for alternatelysupplying the end cylinders With an explosive mixture, means forpermitting the escape of gas alternately from said cylinders, means forexploding the explosive mixture in said end cylinders, and means foralternately admitting portions of an exploded charge from the endcylinders to the central cylinder, thereby to assist in the movement ofthe pistons in the several cylinders.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE EDWARD BLAKE.

Witnesses:

MYRTLE BRooKs, J ENNIE C. MCCULLOUGH.

